The January 28 attack in Kabul in which a British soldier was killed "will not deter us from our commitment to help the Afghan people to build a safer country and a better future," NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement.

He called the attack, which injured others, "an appalling act of senseless violence."

The soldier was part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which is now under the command of NATO.

NATO Press Release
28 January 2004

STATEMENT BY NATO SECRETARY GENERAL

The attack this morning in Kabul against ISAF soldiers, in which one British soldier was killed, was an appalling act of senseless violence.

I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family of the soldier who was killed and to the authorities of the United Kingdom. My thoughts are also with the soldiers and civilians who were injured by the attack.

NATO soldiers are in Afghanistan as part of the contribution of the international community to help restore peace after a long period of brutal ruling and conflict. Attacks of this sort will not deter us from our commitment to help the Afghan people to build a safer country and a better future.